Sunday, July 21, 2013

Do you dream of being an author? You enjoy writing, but don't think of yourself as a real writer. Stop thinking that way! Everyone has a book in them, but only a few actually write a book. It's not as daunting a task as you may think. Only desire is required.

Writing nonfiction is a good place to start. Nonfiction is easier to research and organize than fiction. You don't have to worry about characters, dialogue, conflicts, etc.

How-to books are a good example. If you're an avid fisherman who knows all the secrets of fishing in the Northwest, you have a book. Are you a cook with extensive knowledge of Cajun cuisine? Write a book of recipes with Cajun cooking secrets. Are you the consummate discount shopper in a big city? Are you the neighborhood pet expert? These are all subjects people want to learn about. There is something you know and already love doing that other people want to know.

"I don't have any time!" If you really want to write a book, it can be done. It's a matter of priorities. Set aside a time each day that you can devote to write. Talk to your family, and let them know you'd really like to give this a shot. You may be surprised to find how supportive they are.

Even if you find you need to get up an hour earlier or skip the weekly sitcom, you can choose to set aside time to write. If you set a goal of three pages per day, you'll have a book in three months! Commit to an amount of time and pages per day, and you will write a book.

Start with an outline. Let's take the discount shopper as our example. Your outline might look like this:

... and so on. Just sort out the areas you want to cover. If you find your knowledge is not comprehensive, research on the net! If you want to write a book, the information you need is out there!

Begin your work from your outline. What are you passionate about today? Pick a topic from your outline and start writing. No need for an anxiety attack when you begin. Just look over your outline, and whatever reaches out and grabs you, start writing. You'll gain inspiration and confidence. Write every day.